Fellowship: Ephesians 5:11

April 2, 2009 Matthew Keedy Clifton Fellowship

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” — Ephesians 5:11

Ephesians 5:1 gives us direction as to what God expects of His children. He expects us to be imitators of Him, as beloved children. He expects us to walk in love, using Christ as our example. With this in mind, it is plain to see why Paul would speak of putting sin out of our lives! We are no longer to walk in darkness, but as children of light (Eph. 5:8-9).

Eph. 5:3-5 gives a clear indication of behaviors that are “not of the light.” Among these Paul lists sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talk, or crude joking. As in Col. 3:5, Paul connects covetousness with idolatry.

Apparently there was a danger that people would deceive the Ephesians into thinking these things were acceptable or permissable, because Paul warns them in Eph. 5:6 not to be deceived by “empty words.” Because of the practice of these sins, Paul says, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Then comes the passage that has connection with our study. In Eph. 5:10, Paul says to try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. This means we are to be ever seeking to be pleasing to Him. To do this, we must “take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Eph. 5:11).

This is another passage that confirms that habitual sin is not to be condoned or fellowshipped. In context, the sins Paul refers to are very clear, and the practitioners of these sins could be Christians or those of the world. There is no explicit meaning present of “disfellowshipping” in this passage, though it is clear that Christians cannot be “partakers” of the sins of others. To keep from being a partaker, one certainly has to point out (expose) the sin. One cannot be neutral when it comes to sin! Either partake, or expose, but do not be neutral.

Bottom line: Christians cannot partake in the deeds of those who practice sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness (which is idolatry), filthiness, foolish talk, or crude joking.

Fellowship,